


Photoshop?   Aye, but no.

by KuanYin



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Deception, Established Relationship, F/M, Photoshop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 11:14:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30138717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KuanYin/pseuds/KuanYin
Summary: Matthew tries to get Robin back with actual photographic evidence that Strike is a cheater.
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	Photoshop?   Aye, but no.

The office was quiet which was normal for a late Friday afternoon. Everyone had been sent home early for an unusually quiet weekend and Robin and Strike were just finishing work on their files looking forward to no surveillance and the weekend to themselves.

"Are you just about there Robin?" inquired Strike, who was shoving his last file into the cabinet, keen for his first Doom Bar and dinner.

"Yeah - I just need to get ....."

"It's fine - take your time, I need to go upstairs for a clean shirt."

Robin shot him a look full of mischief - "why? I like the way you smell - leave your stinky shirt on!" Robin's final teasing words were shouted out to an empty office office as Strike harrumphed in humour, and she could hear his heavy steps on the stairs to his rooms. Robin couldn't help but look up up, smiling to an imaginary entity and mouthed silently "thank you for giving me Cormoran Blue Strike. I LOVE HIM. I LOVE HIM." No sooner were those silent words out her mouth then she heard steps on the outside stairs. " _Oh bugger, what now at this time of day_ ..."

The door opened slowly revealing Matthew. Robin felt her stomach lurch, then calm. Last time they saw each other was the divorce settlement when they had a moment of mutual appreciation of each other despite the acrimonious separation.

"Matt - what are you doing here - is everything ok?" Robin stood.

Matthew hesitated, checking out the office then gazing on Robin. He looked as though he was gathering what little courage he had. "No Robin, I'm really sorry but I have proof that Strike is cheating on you." Robin's face was impassive as he pulled out an envelope from a bag and hurried on "I have proof. I just had to tell you because I still love you - and ..." Matthew didn't finish his sentence, but pulled out some glossy photographs and presented them to Robin who gasped - the photographs were clearly of Strike, shaded by the walls of an alleyway, with some person on their knees in front of him, dated only last week.

"This isn't real" stated Robin at once, in a matter of fact voice. Cold. "This isn't real" she repeated.

"Robin - you are so naive!" exclaimed Matthew "this is your boss and whatever the fuck he is to you now, he's getting a blowjob from some randomer. The photograph is real - this happened last week, he's cheating on you. I'm so sorry."

Robin thought and considered what Matthew was trying to do - being sorry was certainly NOT part of it. "What do you want out of this?" she challenged.

"I just... just want you to be happy" cajoled Matthew, not appreciating Robin's question. Then he hesitated, saying "I'll never forgive myself for what I did to you Robin" his voice was soft now, "I love you still. I just wish ...." Matthew didn't get to finish his sentence before Robin asked in a brisk tone "how did you manage this?" She was staring at the photographs at difference angles and murmured unexpectedly .... "these are really really good..." 

Strike - always perfect in in his timing, appeared at the door. Matthew swore, not expecting to see Strike and sat upright on the farting sofa. Robin beckoned to Strike ignoring Matthew, "come and look at this - it's really clever."

" _What the actual fuck,_ _clever, no - not clever - you fucking leaving him that's the plan -that's clever._ " Matthew looked pained.

Strike, glaring at Matthew as though he could read his mind moved, having been invited to look at at a picture which showed himself presumably enjoying a routine blowjob.

Matthew watched in silence as Strike and Robin pored over the photographs, their heads nearly touching talking too soft he couldn't hear. Matthew's anxieties grew. This was not going to plan. His plan was to show Robin the photographs - she and Strike would have some kind of blazing row and he would be ready to pick up the pieces. Then he and Robin could get back to what they had ... for fuck sake - here was evidence that Strike was getting a blow job off some person thus cheating on Robin! He did not feel invited to speak. Then.

Robin looked up as Strike straightened his back. "Where did you get these?" 

"I hired a private investigator" blurted out Matthew visibly sweating "he followed .... " Matthew nodded feebly towards Strike who threw back his shoulders and clenched his fists, "and they got these photos of ...of him... ".

Robin put her hand on Strike's arm and they glanced at each other. Then she spoke. "Ok Matt, these are not real. These are photo-shopped. I mean really really well done, you wouldn't even know - but we need to know who did them." Robin looked at them again then retorted surprisingly "fuck Matt, you must have paid a pile for these".

Matthew - struggling to regain any dignity exclaimed "... but these are real ... he's cheating ...... cheating" his voice faltered, eyes darting between Robin and Strike.

Strike, obeying a tiny gesture from Robin's fingers moved silently to the door as Robin stood in front of Matthew staring down at him "Matthew - these are not real. They look very convincing. But there is no way on heaven or earth - this life or the next that Cormoran has ever, or will ever cheat on me. You can show me pictures, make me listen or watch any of your shit, but Cormoran is true ... to ... me. Cormoron Strike, in fact like most men are not like you. Most men don't cheat." 

As Matthew listened to Robin he was all too aware of the foreboding presence of Strike by the door - large and unwittingly imposing. He knew his ruse was over and his shoulders slumped. He hung his head towards his knees defeated, muttering, "I got a guy to do these. I paid him. I thought I would get you back." As he spoke he knew any pathetic flight was impossible.

Robin spoke softly - as to a child, "who did this - it's just that we need to know because they will have these pictures - which are false - on their record - we need to get them, and get rid of them" she paused waiting for Matthew to catch up to the enormity of his actions "it's illegal Matt, the pictures and you paying. Do you understand?"

Matt sighed deeply looking at the floor. After a long pause he looked up crestfallen, "I'm sorry Robs - I just wanted you back." 

"Never gonna happen."

Matthew then confessed the name of the person who had created the photographs and stood. Strike moved slightly to give Matthew access to the door, then put his arm across the door frame, "Matthew, if you talk, look or even think about Robin again I will do you an injustice - you fucked up, she's moved on - so you fuck off. Do you understand? That's it. Fuck off out of our lives."

Matthew nodded glumly. Rejected and defeated he slumped down the stairs leaving Robin and Strike staring at each other.

"Two things" announced Robin brightly, not leaving Strikes eyes, "one is we need to inflict the author of this shit several levels of hell and get the photos deleted. Might need Shanker."

"... and the second?" asked Strike softly wondering if Robin had any suspicions.

Robin threw herself on the sofa looking at the pictures again, "yeah .. we need to understand how they did this - the techniques and how you can tell - this is really authentic. I'm wondering if Wardle knows of a course or someone we can talk to." Robin studied them closely. "I can't even tell how they doctored these."

"So it never crossed your mind they might be real?" stammered Strike, having to ask, needing to know for sure, as he sat beside her. Did she believe in him.

Robin turned surprised, paused then took his face in her hands, thumbs stroking his cheeks "no, of course I didn't, you dickhead. I don't even have to ask I know you will never cheat on me Comoran. No amount of evidence other than you telling me yourself ... but even then while not under any hypnotic influence - would persuade me that you have or would ever cheat on me, even as much as I would never cheat on you. It's not in your nature and it's not in mine. And that's why .... " Robin took a large breath, steadied herself and finished "well, I haven't said it yet - but - that one of the many reasons why I .... I love you Comoran. I love you."

Before Robin tried to say that Strike didn't need to say it back - he had, and then took Robin in his arms in a crushing embrace. "I love too, you beautiful incredible woman. I can't believe you want to be with me, but I will spend every day making sure you know how much you mean to me." They kissed and murmured sweet things to each other on the noisy sofa forgetting about their dinner reservation, and the rest of the world. It was only them, and the one place they both felt was more home to anything else they had ever know. 

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone can help me get onto Discord I'd be happy. The recent link didn't work and I'm a bit of a noob.


End file.
